Rural areas are at risk of being cut off as widespread snowfall and severe wind-chill temperatures are blown into Yorkshire in a storm dubbed The Beast from the East.

The Met Office has issued a Yellow Warning for snow, urging extra caution on Tuesday as the bitter icy chill is set to hit the whole of Yorkshire.

The Beast from the East will blow in high winds and snow for Yorkshire this week.

Nicknamed The Beast from the East, the freezing conditions are likely to see temperatures plummet down to between -2 and -10C with a wind-chill factor expected to make Britain even colder than Iceland this weekend.

Officials at the Met Office have already warned that the in-coming chill could be a danger to life for the elderly and the very young, while a series of warnings have now been issued in readiness for the arrival of the bitter conditions.

The brutal Siberian blast is due to affect temperatures from this week and is expected to last right through until mid-March.

Bitter air will really start to tear across the country during Sunday. There is a risk of some snow next week as the cold air picks up moisture over the North Sea. It could lead to accumulations of between 2-5cms no immediate thaw expected.

The coldest spell is currently expected between February 26 and March 4.

The Met Office website reads: "Showers or longer periods of snow will affect eastern parts of the UK during Tuesday. There is the potential for travel delays on roads, with some stranded vehicles and passengers, as well as delays or cancellations to rail and air travel.

"Some rural communities could become cut off. Power cuts may also occur and other services, such as mobile phones, may be affected."

The Met Office Chief Forecaster's assessment adds: "There is a lot of uncertainty in the extent and timing of snow during Tuesday.

"Showers will bring a large variation in amounts of snow across even small areas with some places seeing very little. The most likely time for a period of more widespread snow currently looks to be during Tuesday morning.

After a frosty start, a dry day with sunny spells is expected. However it will remain cold, with a strengthening southeasterly breeze. One or two light showers are also possible, mainly in the east, and perhaps wintry at times. Maximum Temperature 5 °C.